Control valve for water softeners



Aug. 14, 1962 M. OLESKOW 3,049,144

CONTROL VALVE FOR WATER soFTENERs Filed sept. lo, 1959 v 4 sheets-sheet1 Aug. 14, 1962 M. oLEsKow CONTROL VALVE FOR WATER SOFTENERS 4Sheets-Shes?l 2 Filed Sept. lO, 1959 /A/VE-A/Toe www ZM a mm www m w Mmm W w Aug. 14, 1962 M. oLEsKoW 3,049,144

CONTROL VALVE FOR WATER SOFTENERS Filed Sept. lO, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3Aug 14, 1962 M. oLEsKoW 3,049,144

CONTROL VALVE FOR WATER SOFTENERS Filed Sept. l0, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4lii.. "Illll /05 gl L H2 INVENTOR.

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3,049,144 CONTRL VALVE FOR WATER SGFTENERS Mathew leskow, 5453 CanfieldRoad, Chicago, Ill. Filed Sept. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 839,203 1 Claim. (Cl.137-391) This invention relates generally to improvements in floatvalves, and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a iloatvalve for use in water softener systems to control the ow of water intoand the llow of brine solution out of a regeneration tank during theregeneration of the ion exchange material of the system. The valve ofthe present invention may be used to control the regenerating iiuid ineither a manual regeneration type or an automatic regenerating watersoftening system.

It is accordingly one of the objects of this invention to provide animproved apparatus for controlling the ow of regenerating uid in a watersoftening system.

A further and more specific object of the present invention is toprovide a valve of the character described above wherein, duringregeneration, the valve remains fully open to permit flow of brinesolution out of the regeneration tank until the level of the iluid inthe tank reaches a predetermined low level whereupon the valve closesfirmly and positively.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve of the typedescribed wherein the valve closes automatically when the level of brinesolution in the tank reaches a low level which is, nevertheless,suiciently high to prevent entry into the valve of debris floating onthe solution within the tank.

The invention will best be understood by reference to the followingdescription of an illustrative embodiment thereof, when taken togetherwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is an elevational view, partly in section, illustrating a valvecharacterized by the features of the present invention with the valuebeing shown in one of its operating positions;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational View of the valve in the positionillustrated in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a side View of the valve illustrated in FIG. 1 but shows thevalve in another position;

FIG. 4 is a front sectional View of the valve in the positionillustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 illustrates a typical water softening system employing the valveof the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view, partly in section, illustrating anotherembodiment of a valve characterized by the features of the presentinvention with the valve being shown in one of its operating positions;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the embodiment of the Valve illustratedin FIG. 6 and shown in another of its operating positions;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view illustrating the valve of FIG. 6 in yetanother of its operating positions;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational View of the valve embodied in FIG. 6 andillustrated in the operating position shown in FIG. 6, and

FIG. 10 is a partial elevational View of the Valve embodied in FIG. 6shown in the position of FIG. 7.

Briey stated, according to the invention the new and improved apparatusfor controlling the tiow of liquid into and out of the brine tank of awater softening system during the regeneration ofthe ion exchangematerial includes a valve conduit in the tank which communicates at itslower end with the brine and which has its upper end connected to abrine conduit. The valve conduit has a pair of confronting verticallyspaced upper and lower valve seats with a valve element disposed betweenandv alternately engageable with the seats. A irst iioat in the tank isconnected to the valve through a linkage constructed and arranged toraise the valve against the upper seat when the float is in a fullylowered position and to lower the valve against the lower seat when thefloat is buoyed upwardly. A second normally submerged lioat in the tankis connected to prevent full downward movement of the first oat untilthe brine in the tank reaches a predetermined selected low level,thereby to 4hold the valve in an intermediate position between the upperand lower seats.

Referring to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, there is illustrated thenew and novel valve apparatus according to the instant invention. Thevalve apparatus is disposed within a valve chamber 1 which is incommunication through a plurality of apertures 1a with regeneratingfluid such as brine solution 2 (FIG. 5) in a brine tank 3. The valveapparatus includes Ia valve conduit or passage 4 which may suitably -bemade of plastic and which has a lower end 5 in communication with thebrine in the tank through a slot 5a and which has an upper end 6extending externally of the tank and adapted to receive external pipingconnections. The valve conduit 4 includes an upper seat 7 and a lowerseat 8 in confronting vertically spaced relation. A soft lift valveelement 9 is adapted to be selectively raised or lowered in a mannerdescribed more fully hereinafter in order to seat alternately againsteither the upper valve seat 7 or the lower valve seat 8.

The valve apparatus contains two floats for automatically controllingthe raising or lowering of the valve element in response to the level ofthe liquid in the tanks 1 and 3. More specifically, a valve actuating ormain iioat 10 is connected to raise the valve element 9 against thelower side of the upper seat 7 when the float is in a fully loweredposition (as illustrated in IFIGS. 3 and 4) and is further adapted tolower the valve element 9 against the upper side of the lower valve seat8 when the float is buoyed upwardly by the brine solution (asillustrated in FIGS. l and 2).- The valve element actuating mechanismincludes an actuating lever 11 fulcrumed at an intermediate point abouta xed pin 12 secured within the lower end of the conduit 4. One end ofthe lever 11 is connected through a rcd 13 to the main iloat whereby thelever is rocked about the pin 12 in response Vto raising or lowering themain iloat. The other end of the lever 11 raises and lowers the Valveelement 9 through a Valve actuating link 14 connected to a valve stem15. When the 'float 10 is buoyed upwardly to its uppermost position bythe high level of the brine solution 2, the valve element 9 is biased`downwardly against the valve seat 8.

As is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a second normally submerged oat 16 isconnected to restrain the full downward movement of the float 10 untilsuch time as the :brine solution 2 in the tank 3 has reached asufficiently -low predetermined level as will be evident as the descrip-Ition proceeds. To this end, the float 16 is secured to lone end of aoat rod 17 mounted for pivotal movement about a stationary pin or screw13 which is secured to the lower end of the conduit 4. The oat -rod 17contains a irst stop 17a, a second stop 17b, and a third stop 17e. Asmore clearly seen in FIG. 1, when oat 16 is buoyed upwardly by highlevel of the brine solution 2, the lever 11 is positioned above and isspaced from the stop 17a of the float rod 17. As the main float 10 islowered due to the discharge of ybrine solution from the tank, the lever11 is lowered into engagement with the stop 17a which prevents thefurther downward movement of main flaot 10. .The main iloat 1G, lever11, and valve element 9 have now assumed the position illustrated inphantom in FIGS. l and 2 with the valve element 9 disengaged from fboththe valve seats '7, 8 and with the second oat 16 still fully submerged.As the brine solution 2 in the tank continues to be discharged, in amanner hereinafter more fully described, the brine solution level `willeventually reach a low point where the float 16 floats on the surface ofthe solution and the oat 16 will m'ove downwardly to the position shownin solid in FIG. 3, moving the stop 17a out 'of the path of the lever11. The oat 1,0 is now released and drops downwardly raising the valveelement 9 against the upper valve seat 7.

The stop 17e of the float rod 17 now engages the side of the lever 11.As fluid begins to ll the tank, the oat 16 cannot rise because of theinterference with the movement of the float rod 17 by the lever 11.However, when the level of uid in the tank 3 reaches -a su'icient heightto raise the main oat suciently so that the lever 11 1s raised clear ofthe stop 17C, the iioat 16 is free to move upwardly to its highposition.

Another feature of the instant invention is the inclusion of arestriction valve 19 in the -brine conduit 4. The restriction valve 19is a at washer 19a which may be of plastic and in one preferredembodiment has a narrow rib 19b across its top and a small hole 19cdrilled in one slde.. 'I'he restriction valve 19 is `adapted to raise orlower Iagainst an upper restriction seat 20 and a lower restriction seat20a arranged in confronting vertically spaced relation, as hereinaftermore fully described.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the operation of the improved valve apparatuswill be described in connection with a typical manually operatedregenerating water softening system. A typical water softeninginstallation includes an ion exchange or softening tank 33 containing anion exchange material or mineral such as an ion exchange resm or anatural or artiicial zeolite through which the water to be softened ispassed. A supply line 21 is connected to discharge incoming or hardwater through an inlet line 22 into 4the bot-tom of the tank 33. Thesoftened water is removed Ifrom the tank 33 through a utility llne 26.The supply line 21 is also connected to discharge ushing or regeneratingwater into the bottom of the tank 33 through an ejector 23 and through:lines 24 and 25. A drain or ushing line 2,7 also extends from the topof tank 33. A valve 28 connects the supply line 21 with the inlet line22. A second valve 29 connects the supply line 21 with the ejector 23.Another valve 30 is connected in drain line 27. The upper end 6 of thevalve conduit 4 is connected to the ejector 23 through a brine conduit31 and a valve 32. As is well known, the ejector is connected so thatwhen water is passed through the ejector by means of lines 24 Iand 25 aventuri effect is established to draw uid through the brine conduit 31leading from the top of the valve conduit 4.

During normal operation, the water is supplied through the supply line21 and inlet line 22, then passes through the ion exchange material inthe tank 33 and is discharged through the utility line 26. The valve 28connecting the supply line 21 to 'the inlet line 22 is, of course,opened. The Valve 29 connecting the supply line with the ejector, thevalve 30 -in the drain line 27, and the valve 32 on top of the lbrinetank 3 are all closed` When it is desired to regenerate the ion exchangematerial by the passage of brine therethrough, the valve 28 is closedand the valves 29, 30 and 32 are opened. The brine tank 3 is, of course,-full of brine. Water now flows from the supply line 21 to the ejector23 and through the line 25 into the bottom of tank 33 to create a vacuumin the ejector 23. With the main float 10v in its high or tankl fullposition (FIGS. 1 and 2) the vacuum in the ejector 23 -is exertedagainst the valve element 9 yand is sufficient to pull the soft rubbervalve element 9 away from the seat 8 yand to draw brine around the valveelement into the brine conduit 31. During the drawing of the brinesolution from the brine tank 3, the restriction valve 19 rises with thebrine solution until the rib 19b hits the upper restriction seat 20holding the washer 19a away from the upper restriction seat 20, as shownin phantomV 4 in FIGS. l and 2. The brine flows Ifreely around therestriction valve 19.

The brine reaches the ejector 23, mixes with the water from the supplyline 21, and ows into the bottom of the tank 33 through conduit 25whereupon the brine and water mixture passes through the ion exchangematerial, 'and is discharged through the drain line 27. As is wellknown, the brine and water mixture is effective to cleanse andrejuvenate the ion exchange material in the tank 33. As the level ofbrine solution in the tank 1 drops, themain float 10 lowers slightlyuntil the lever 11k rests on the stop 17a of the oat rod 17. The levelof the brine solution continues -to drop until the oat 16, which hasbeen submerged and is holding the oat stop 17a in position due to itsbuoyancy, begins to lioat upon the brine level and lowers suciently topermit the lever 11 -to slip off the stop 17a. The full weight of themain iioat 10 and the rod 13 now pushes the valve element 9 upwardlywith the vacuum pulling the Valve element tightly against the upper seat7, thereby shutting olf the brine before it reaches the lower end 5 ofthe valve tube 4, thereby preventing any oating matter, such as hair` orother debris, from entering the system and causing blockage and leaks.The flushing continues without the brine so that the clear supply ofwater from the supply line 21 is passed through the ion exchangeminerals in the softening tank 33 in order to wash out the salt.

When the flushing is completed, the valve 29 tothe ejector 23 is closedand the valve 30 in the drain line 27 is also closed. The valve 28 tothe inlet line 22 is opened and the valve 32 in the brine conduit 31 isleft open. Water now re-enters the softening tank 33 through the inletline 22. Water pressure in the tank33 causes water to 110W into thebottom of the ejector conduit 25 and upwardly through the ejector 23into the valve conduit 4 through the brine conduit 31 and the valve 3-2.The

water pressure forces the valve element 9 away from theupper seat 7 topermit the water to pass around the valve element in order to rell thebrine tank 3. The pressure of the incoming water holds vthe restriction'valve 19 down against the lower restriction seat 20a. Incoming watertherefore passes through the small hole 19t.1 against the top of thevalve diaphragm 9 at a reduced pressure, thereby permitting operation ofthe system at high pressure levels. Since the pressure drop through thehole 19C tends to be a maximum when the pressure is greatest and theflow through the opening is largest, the restriction valve tends toreduce the possible pressure variation encountered by the valve element9 when sub-` jected to different water pressures. The oat 16 isprevented from rinsing with the water because the stop 17cof the floatrod 17 is positioned 4against the side of the lever 11. As the oat 10rises, the lever 11 moves away from stop 17c to permit the tloat 16 torise. The stop 17a then comes into position below the lever 11. Whenthewater in the brine tank 3 reaches its full position, the

buoyancy of the oat 10 causes the valve element 9 toA seat against thevalve seat 8, thereby shutting olf the' ow of water. The regeneratingcycle has been completed and the valve 32 may be closed if desired.

FIGS. 6 to 10 illustrate another embodiment of theV4 new and improvedapparatus for controlling the ow of uid into and out of the brine tankof a water softening system during the regeneration of the ion exchangematerial according to the instant invention. 'Ihe valve ap paratus isdisposed in a valve chamber 101 which is in communication through aplurality of apertures 10111` with a brine solution (as illustrated inFIG. 5) in a brine tank 103 and includes a valve conduit or passage 104which may suitably be made of plastic and which has a lower end 105 incommunication with the brine in the tank 103 and which has an upper end106 extending externally of the tank and adapted to receive externalpiping connections (not shown). The valve conduit 104 includes an upperseat 107 and a lower seat 108 in confronting vertically spaced relation.A soft rubber lift valve element 109 is adapted to be selectively raisedor lowered in a manner described more fully hereinafter in order to seatalternately either against the upper valve seat 107 or the lower valveseat 108.

The valve apparatus contains two floats for automatically controllingthe raising or lowering of the diaphragm valve 109 in response to thelevel of the liquid in the tank. More specifically, a valve elementactu- -ating or main float 110 is connected to raise the valve element109 against the lower side of the upper seat 107 when the float 110 isin a fully lowered position (as illustrated in FIG. S) and is furthervadapted to lower the valve diaphragm 109 against the upper side of thelower seat 108 when the oat 110 is buoyed upwardly by the brinesolution, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The valve diaphragm actuatingmechanism includes an actuating lever 111 fulcrumed at an intermediatepoint about a Xed pin 112 secured within a U shaped extension 140 at thelower end 105 of the conduit 104. One end of the lever 111 is connectedthrough a second lever or diiferential positioning lever member 141 anda `rod 113 to the main oat 110 whereby the lever 111 is pivoted aboutthe fixed pin 12 in response to raising or lowering of the main float.Specifically, the diiferential positioning leve-r member 141 is ofgeneral V or angular shape, herein shown as substantially a right angle,and has its vertex or pivot 141C pivotally secured to one end of lever111 by a pin or rivet 142. The lower end of rod 113 is pivotally securedto one end or leg 1410 of the lever member 141. The other end of thelever 111 raises and lowers the valve element 109 through a valveactuating link or valve stem 114. When the float 110 is buoyed upwardlyto its uppermost position by the high level of the brine solution, asillustrated in FIG. 6, the valve element 109 is biased downwardlyagainst the upper side of the lower valve seat 108.

A second normally submerged float 116 is connected through a oat rod 117to another end or leg 14111 of lever member 141 to restrain the fulldownward movement of the main float 110 until such time as the brinesolution in the tank has reached a suiciently low predetermined level.The float rod 117 is mounted for pivotal movement relative to the leg14-1b of the lever member 141. The oat rod 117 passes through the float116 and contains a stop 143 near its upper end which is adapted to abutagainst a stationary portion 144 of the valve to thereby limit theupward travel of the iloat 116.

As best seen in FIG. l0, the rod 113 which is secured to the main float110 has its lower end bent approximately horizontally and extending overthe lever 111 in order to form a stop 11S-a on the rod 113 which abutsagainst the lever 111 when the main iloat 110 is in a lowered position.The rotation of the lever member 141 counterclockwise until the stop113e strikes the lever 111 effectively moves the pivot point of the rod113 and the lever 111 toward the pin 112 about which lever 111 pivots,thereby reducing the mechanical advantage of the lever 111 with respectto the main iloat 110. The main float 110, therefore does not exertsufficient force on the lever 111 to further move the lever against theupward bias exerted on it through the lever member 141 by the second,fully submerged float 116. In this manner, the oat 116, acting throughlever member 141, prevents the full downward travel of the main oat 110until such time as the fluid in the tank reaches a selected low leveland the oat 116 floats on the surface of the receding fluid level,thereby permitting additional movement of the lever 111 by the combinedaction of the main float 110 and the second oat 116. Such added movementof the lever 111 forces the soft valve element 109 against the lowerside of the upper valve seat 107 and shuts off the withdrawal of fluidfrom the valve conduit or passage 104.

In operation, the valve can assume the three positions represented inFIGS. 6, 7 and 8, respectively. With the Abrine tank 103 full, so thatthe brine level is high, floats and 116 are buoyed upwardly; the mainfloat 110 floats on the surface of the brine solution and the second'float 116 is fully submerged. Since both floats are buoyed upwardly,the valve element 109 is against the upper side of the lower seat 108.When a vacuum is applied to the upper end 106 of the valve conduit 104,as heretofore described in connection with a typical regenerating watersoftening system, the vacuum is exerted against the valve element 109and is sui'iicient to pull the soft rubber valve element 109 away fromthe seat 103 and to draw brine around the valve element into the watersoftener. As the level of the brine solution drops, the main oat 110lowers until the stop 113a on rod 113` is restricted from further travelby contact with rod 111. The buoyancy of lloat 116 will bias leg 14111of lever member 141 upwardly. The valve now assumes the positionillustrated in FIG. 7; the valve element 109 is in a position betweenthe upper seat 107 and lower seat 108 and ofers no effective resistanceto the withdrawal of brine through the valve conduit 104.

As the level of vbrine solution continues to drop, the second oat 116,which has been submerged and prevents the downward movement of the firstlloat due to its upward bias on lever member 141 and due to theengagement of stop 113a with the lever 111, now floats upon the brineand further withdrawal of brine from a selected low level lowers thefloat 116 suiciently to permit the valve 110' to be lowered to itslowermost position, thereby moving the valve 109 upwardly against thelower side of the upper seat 107 and closing off the valve with respectto removal of brine therefrom, as illustrated in FIG. 8.

When the -ushing of the softening tank is completed, as heretoforedescribed, Water is connected to till the brine tank through the valveconduit 104. The water is introduced through the upper end 106 and thepressure thereof forces the soft rubber valve element 109 away from theupper seat 107 suiciently to permit the water to pass around the valveelement in order to refill the brine tank. As the level of water in thebrine tank rises, the float 116 floats at the top of the fluid in thebrine tank until the iloat 116 is prevented from further upward travel`by the stop 143 engaging the stationary portion 144. The valve 109 thenassumes the intermediate position illustrated in FIG. 7. Water continuesto be introduced around the valve 109, substantially unrestricted by thevalve 109, and continues to lill the tank until the water rises to asuicient level to raise oat 110 upwardly to the position illustrated inFIG. 6, whereby the soft valve 109 is lowered against the upper side ofthe lofwer seat 108. The pressure of the water against valve 109 holdsthe valve 109 tightly against the lower seat 108 to effectively shut oifthe incoming water.

The embodiment of the valve illustrate in FIGS. 6 to l0 operates in asimilar manner to that heretofore described in connection with theembodiments of FIG. l to 4. A restriction valve 119 can be inserted inthe valve conduit or passage 104 in a chamber 145 located above thevalve 109. As shown, the restriction valve 119 consists of a washer,which may be of plastic, and which is vertically movable on a shaftmember 146, which may suitably be an extension of valve stem 114. Therestriction valve 119 contains a bore 147 of larger diameter than theshaft member 146, thereby forming a restrictive passage through whichwater may enter the valve conduit 104 when the restriction valve 119 islowered against the lower valve seat 14S during the lling of the brinetank. When brine is removed from the tank so that the fluid in the valveconduit 104 is withdrawn upwardly, the restriction valve 119 will risewith the iluid and will bear against the bottom of a second seat 149.The second seat 149, however, contains a plurality of notches 150 whichpermit the passage of fluid around the restriction valve 119. The valve119 therefore functions in a manner similar to that of restriction valve119 heretofore described.

It may be desirable for the valve actuating link to pivot with respectto the actuating lever at a point which moves near to top dead-center orover-center of the lever pivot when the valve is against the upper seat.Referring again to the embodiments of FIGS. 6 to 10, the link 114 pivotsabout the lever 111 about a pivot point 151 which'is arranged withrespect to the liXed pin 112, which is the pivot point of lever 111,away from the longitudinal center axis of lever 111 thereby causingpivot 151 to move near dead-center or slightly over-center from thepivot of fixed pin 112 when the valve 109 is in a raised position, asillustrated in FIG. 8. Such an arrangement has ythe advantage that themechanical advantage of lever 111 is substantially increased so that thevalve 109 cannot move as a whole downwardly due to the force of wateragainst it; however, the pressure of filling water is sucient to ilexthe soft rubber valve element 109 so as to displace the edgm thereofaway from the upper seat 107 sufficiently to permit the water to passaround the valve element into the brine tank 103. Any downward load onthe valve 109 and link 114 is reacted by the lever 111 and iioat 116, asillustrated in FIG. 8. As the level in the brine tank rises, so as toraise oat 116, and subsequently oat 110, the pivot '1 will move awayfrom the over-center or dead-center position and the lever 111 will movedownwardly to the position illustrated in FIG. 7. The embodiment ofFIGS. l to 4 operates in a similar manner.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described by wayof illustration, many modifications will occur to those skilled in theart. Therefore, it is to be understood that it is intended in theappended claims to cover all such modjications as fall within the truespirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to 'be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

Apparatus for controlling the flow of brine solution from a tank duringthe regenerationof the ionexchange material of a water softening system,said apparatus comprising a conduit in said tank communicating at itslower end with the brine solution in said tank, a pair of con- `frontingvertically spaced upper and lower valve seats in said conduit, a valvein said conduit between said seats and cooperating alternatelyk withsaid seats, a pivotally mounted actuating lever, valve actuating meanspivotally secured to said lever and operatively associated with'saidvalve for actuating said valve selectively against said valve seats,said valve actuating means being connected to said lever at a pivotpoint whereby said pivot point is near dead-center with respect to thepivot point of said pivotally mounted lever and the valve when saidvalve is against said upper'valve seat and whereby said` pivot point ofsaid valve actuating means with respect to said lever moves away fromdead-center with respect to the pivot point of said lever and the valvewhen said valve moves away from said upper seat, a rst -float means insaid tank, means connecting said rst float -means and said lever toraise said valve against said upper seat when said first oat means is ina fully lowered position and to lower said valve against said lower seatwhen said first oat means is in a raised position, and second floatmeans operatively associated with said rst float means in said tank andconnected to prevent the full downward movement of said -iirst floatmeans until the fluid in the tank reaches a selected low level.

924,345 1,803,423 Brown May 5, 1951 2,710,018 Wolfe June 7, 1955

